Quality Magazine

Quality October 2019

2019 October

Check out the October 2019 edition of Quality: Using software to refine the steel manufacturing process, optical measurement devices, thread classes, plug gages, Quality 4.0 and much more!

Cover Story

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Features

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Lean manufacturing

It’s Time for Lean Manufacturing

Get better every day.
Michelle
Michelle Bangert
October 15, 2019
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Sometimes adopting lean manufacturing means adding more people to a process. Eric Ethington, a lean product and process development coach, previously worked in the auto supply business. In a pump assembly product line, the typical cell had six operators.


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Inline image for single sided web thickness inspection

Exploring the benefits of noncontact thickness metrology

Noncontact thickness metrology solutions have become a necessity for the manufacturing sector.
Hitendra S Mistry
October 15, 2019
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If you were to ask an assembler at a Tesla factory how they measure the diameter of a piston, the response could very well be “what’s a piston?” If the same question were asked, a traditional combustion engine assembler would likely exclaim “with calipers, of course!”


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Lean visual management

Visual Management Helps Improve Quality

As we practice lean, we put things like 5S and visual management tools into place.
Paul-headshot
Paul W. Critchley
October 8, 2019
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I was recently retaught a lesson that, ironically, I teach for a living. The consulting firm I work in covers not only lean, but also consults and guides clients along with building and improving their quality management systems.


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Columns

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From the Editor, Darryl Seland

Leveling the Playing Field

SB206 and Quality 4.0
Darryl
Darryl Seland
October 15, 2019
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It’s titled Senate Bill (SB) 206. Recently passed by the unanimous vote of state legislators in California, the measure would allow student athletes to hire agents and make money from their name, image, and likeness.


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Guest Column
Guest Column

No Apology Necessary

Error proofing will not solve all problems, but it's a good start.
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Ian R Lazarus
October 4, 2019
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I was at the Delta customer service counter at LAX a couple years ago, dealing with yet another air travel fiasco from my life on the road.


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Other Dimensions

Facing Reality

Disputes over measurements continue to plague the industry.
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Hill Cox
October 1, 2019
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The American Measuring Tool Manufacturers Association (AMTMA) is an organization whose members manufacture, supply, and/or calibrate precision gages and measuring instruments. If you use this type of equipment, the odds are it came from one or more AMTMA member companies.


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Face of Quality

Mentor Effectively

It takes toughness to be effective.
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Jim L. Smith
October 1, 2019
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Before a recent boxing match, a trainer had his fighter repeat “I’m the man! I’m a tiger! I’m a beast! I’m invincible!” That motivation was effective until shortly after the bell. About two minutes after the match began, the fighter was KO’d by his opponent who actually knew how to box!


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NDT

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Cyclic thermal loading using a TMF loadstring. Source: Instron
NDT

Fatigue Testing 101

A brief overview of the most common types of fatigue tests and where each is commonly used.
Kelvin Poon
October 1, 2019
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Fatigue is a failure mechanism caused by repeated cyclic loading that leads to cumulative damage within a material, and ultimately catastrophic failure. “Between 80% to 90% of all mechanical service failures can be attributed to Fatigue,” according to the American Society of Metals – Metals Handbook 1975 & 2008.


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